Prince Andrew has been speaking to Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein
The Duke of York says it was the "wrong thing to do" to stay at the convicted sex offender's home in New York
The prince says he has "no recollection of ever meeting" Virginia Roberts - now Virginia Giuffre - who says she was forced to have sex with him
He says he was at home with his children on the night it is alleged he had sex with Virginia Giuffre
If "push came to shove" the prince says he would testify over allegations regarding his conduct and his links to Jeffrey Epstein
Epstein, 66, took his own life in August while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges
Jonny Dymond
BBC royal correspondent
‘Friends’ of Andrew have mounted a whispering campaign about the photo of him with Virginia Roberts suggesting that it is fake.
He says he can’t prove it is fake but then provides a list of reasons (wrong clothes, wrong floor of the house, he doesn’t do hugs) that suggest it was fake.
Asked if he recalls any kind of sexual contact with Virginia Roberts then or any other time, the prince says: “None whatsoever.”
Prince Andrew firmly denies Ms Roberts claims that she had sex with the prince on three occasions, including once in London, once on Epstein’s private island and once at the financier’s home in New York.
The prince says he has “no idea” why Ms Roberts, now Ms Giuffre, has made these claims, but stops short of accusing her of lying when asked.
Emily Maitlis repeats Virginia Roberts’ statement to Prince Andrew made outside a US court in August:
“He knows exactly what he’s done and I hope he comes clean about it,” she told reporters.
The prince responds: “And the answer is nothing.”
He adds that he does not have a message for Ms Roberts, adding that he has to have a thick skin to cope with the allegations made by her.
Tomorrow's newspaper front pages have begun to be released, with several focusing on Prince Andrew.
The Observer describes it as a "bombshell" interview.
Emily Maitlis asks the prince why people would believe his explanation of the photograph.
The prince says that the photograph was taken upstairs in Ghislaine Maxwell’s central London home and that he does not think he ever went upstairs there.
“I’m at a loss to explain this particular photograph,” he says.
“If the original was ever produced, then perhaps we might be able to solve it but I can’t."
Asked why someone would place another hand onto the photograph, the prince says it is definitely a picture of him but questions the claim it was taken in London.
He says the clothes he is wearing in the picture are the sorts of garments he wears when travelling abroad.
The prince explains that he wears a suit and tie when in London. He repeats his claim that nobody can prove if the photograph has been doctored and that he does not recollect it ever being taken.
The duke - who is the Queen's third child - says he could not have been at Tramp nightclub on the date that Virginia Roberts - now Virginia Giuffre - says she met him, because he was looking after his children that day, including taking his daughter on a trip to Pizza Express.
The prince concedes that he does recognise himself in the photograph, but he questions its authenticity.
He adds that investigations have been unable to determine whether the photograph is real “because it is a photograph of a photograph of a photograph”.
The prince says it is very difficult to prove if it is a fake.
He adds: “That’s me but whether that’s my hand or whether that’s the position… I have simply no recollection of the photograph ever being taken.”
Image source, Virginia RobertsEmily Maitlis now asks about a photograph of Prince Andrew with Virginia Roberts. It shows the pair smiling towards the camera with the prince’s arm around Ms Roberts’ waist.
Prince Andrew confirms he has seen the photograph.
“How do you explain that?” the presenter asks.
The prince says he can’t because he has “absolutely no memory of that photograph ever being taken”.
Asked if it is possible he met Virginia Roberts and had sex with her on another date, the prince says: “No.”
He once again says he has “no recollection of meeting” Ms Roberts.
Prince Andrew is asked about Virginia Roberts’ description of dancing with the prince, that he sweated profusely and she went on to have a bath.
He reveals a “peculiar medical condition which is that I don’t sweat or I didn’t sweat at the time".
He says he was given an overdose of adrenalin during the Falklands War when he was shot at and it was “almost impossible for me to sweat”.
He adds that the condition has only been alleviated in recent years.
Jonny Dymond
BBC royal correspondent
That was a flat out denial of sex with Virginia Roberts. "It didn’t happen" and "I’ve no recollection of her".
But the denial is categorical.
Prince Andrew says on the date that’s being suggested, 10 March, he was at home with the children.
He says he took his daughter Princess Beatrice to a party at Pizza Express restaurant in Woking at around 4pm or 5pm that evening.
Asked why he remembers that so specifically, he says: “Because going to Pizza Express in Woking is an unusual thing for me to do, a very unusual thing for me to do. I’ve never been… I’ve only been to Woking a couple of times and I remember it weirdly distinctly.”
He adds he is absolutely sure he was at home with his children on 10 March 2001.
Prince Andrew says: “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”
Asked again whether he recalls meeting her, he says: “No.”
Emily Maitlis repeats Ms Roberts’ claims, to which the prince says: “It didn’t happen.”
The prince adds that he is “almost, in fact convinced” he was never in the Tramp nightclub with Ms Roberts.
There are a number of things that are wrong with that story, one of which is that I don’t know where the bar is in Tramps. I don’t drink, I don’t think I’ve ever bought a drink in Tramps whenever I was there.”
Emily Maitlis recounts how Epstein was arrested on charges of sex trafficking and abusing dozens of underage girls in July this year. She sets out how one of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Roberts – who is now Virginia Giuffre – says she met Prince Andrew in 2001, aged 17, dined and danced with him, and had sex with him at Ghislaine Maxwell’s Belgravia home.
Jonny Dymond
BBC royal correspondent
No regrets over friendship with a convicted child sex offender?
Really?
Not sure how well that plays, however fascinating the people he met through Epstein might have been.
Prince Andrew says he did not see or speak to Epstein after his visit to New York in December 2010.
Asked if he needed to stay at Epstein’s home during that visit, the prince says being under the same roof meant he could easily get hold of Epstein to talk to him.
Prince Andrew says he does not regret being friends with Epstein because of the people he met and the opportunities he was given to learn as a result.
“We weren’t that close,” he says. “Yes I would go and stay in his house but that was because of his girlfriend, not because of him.”
Ms Maitlis questions why the prince did not announce the end of his friendship with Epstein publicly.
“Did you worry that he had something that could compromise you?” she asks.
Prince Andrew says: “No, no”.
Asked whether he worried if Epstein had set up the photograph in Central Park as part of a PR stunt, the prince says neither he nor his staff can find evidence that is the case.
He says his security staff cannot remember anyone being present or close during the walk.
But he adds that it is possible Epstein had involvement in the photograph.